I don’t know how Gleb managed to write a new album with all he’s been through over the last couple years, but Mr. Kolyadin released a new album called Mobula on February 28th through Kscope. For me, it shows a different side to his art.
Gleb is one-half of the iamthemorning duo, specifically the piano maestro. He brings plenty of guests along for this solo ride, though. They include Evan Carson on percussion, Vlad Avy and Liam McLaughlin on electric guitar, Ford Collier on low whistles, bansuri, and bombarde, Zoltan Renaldi and PJ Flynn on bass, Charlie Cawood on guitars, glockenspiel, guzheng, zither, electric kalimba, taishogoto, and bow guitar, Henry Isaac Bristow on violin, Ilya Izmaylov on cello, and Mr. Konin on electronics.
That is quite an array of sounds, and Gleb puts it to good use. He is known mainly for his neoclassical style on the grand piano, but this album is far more than that. You’ll hear instrumental pieces that sound fresh, vibrant, alive; you will notice elements of cinema, electronica, and even New Age. This music sounds like Gleb moving into a new era of personal expression.
The music flows through light and darkness, outer space and inner worlds. It feels cosmic in that way, but also like riding the electricity of quantum space. Most of the record is pretty reserved, reminding me of Vangelis and even Lunatic Soul’s Impressions album at times. This isn’t a high energy affair, but is instead quiet, pensive, and detailed.
Mobula has fourteen tracks and lasts about 45 minutes. My favorites are strewn throughout that runtime, so it is rather consistent. In the first half, my favorites would be very iamthemorning-esque “Parallax” with its bright, bouncy sound; “Glimmer”, the single with an evolutionary river running in its veins; “Dawnlight”, which sounds like something Vangelis might have done back in the day; and the gorgeous “Radiant”, full of low whistle, New Age textures and layers of melody—that might be my favorite on the album.
The second half flies by quickly because most of the tracks are about two minutes long. That’s not a bad thing, as I think it makes the album feel younger, more welcoming. My favorites in this half are “Fractured”, with its dark acoustic tone and potent apprehension; “Tempest”, with its spacey and distant sound; and “Shimmer”, which begins with an addictive piano performance that transitions into something that sounds very much like 90s Mike Oldfield. I like how it moves into “Starfall”, which feels like twilight meteor showers with far-off guitars serenading. The closer “Gaia” is a tender and thoughtful piece, and probably the best way to end the journey here.
Gleb doesn’t disappoint, and I feel like he’s moved out of his comfort zone somewhat with Mobula. It feels strangely cinematic and even scientific, but also deeply accessible. I love how the album flows over you, never outstaying its welcome. I’m excited to see where he’ll go from here.
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Find Gleb Kolyadin online:
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The PROG Mind 